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Gonzalez comes to camp on mission

Rockies star looks to rebound after bad 2nd half

By Troy E. Renck The Denver Post

Posted:
02/12/2013 10:52:28 PM MST

Updated:
02/12/2013 10:52:29 PM MST

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Carlos Gonzalez added muscle last spring, his biceps creating shudders. He added layers this winter, growing up before our eyes. The Rockies' All-Star outfielder married Indonesia and spent a chunk of his offseason finalizing the adoption of his wife's 4-year-old son, Santiago.

"He loves me," said Gonzalez, before displaying a wide smile. "It means a lot to be a dad and have them with me. We spent time with her family and mine. It's been great. I love having them supporting me in the good and bad moments."

Most people know CarGo, the player. He exudes confidence, doing things so effortlessly that it seems the opponent is on Xbox. The private CarGo has changed dramatically since his starburst moment in the 2009 playoffs. Ferraris and commercials announced his arrival in previous springs. This season, his first as a husband and father, his bling consists of a diamond necklace. He's a dad with a little more sophistication to his swag.

"I am getting old, you know?" Gonzalez said.

In fact, at 27, he's entering his prime. Even those who ridicule the Rockies offer an asterisk -- they still have CarGo and Tulo (Troy Tulowitzki). Gonzalez made his first All-Star team last season, but exited with a bad taste.

"Last year was miserable and it was reflected in my numbers and how I played," Gonzalez said. "I had special numbers in the first half and then everything went downhill. A lot of things went wrong and it affected me when we didn't have our best players out there.

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It's hard to write a lineup without Tulo, (Todd) Helton and (Michael) Cuddyer."

After the All-Star break, Gonzalez hit .261 with 18 extra-base hits. He had 17 home runs before the break. He won a Gold Glove, playing full time in left field for the first time, but admitted that he has delivered better defensive seasons.

"Early in the year, I was making too many mistakes. I should have thrown out more runners and held more runners (from taking extra bases)," Gonzalez said. "I wasbetter in the second half. But I still felt a little different about my performance."

Losing remains an issue. It leaves Gonzalez disconsolate. He struggled in 2010 when the Rockies spiraled the final two weeks of the season, and grew increasingly frustrated last year without protection in the lineup, namely Tulowitzki.

"I played in the All-Star Game last year, and Tulo is the best I've every played with. He plays with passion and plays the game the right way," said Gonzalez, who wore a "Tulo Knows" Nike T-shirt during batting practice. "And the way he works, you have no choice but to follow and do the same thing."

Gonzalez's offseason was dramatically different. Rather than get bigger, he focused on speed. He arrived in Arizona weighing 220 pounds, down 10 from last spring.

"I want to be fast on the base paths again," said Gonzalez, who has stolen 20 bases in each of the past two seasons. "I am not naturally as fast like E.Y. (Eric Young Jr.)."

Less bulk does not mean less strength. Gonzalez put on a show in batting practice Tuesday that nearly left new hitting coach Dante Bichette's mouth agape.

"Is it always like this?" he asked.

The Venezuelan star, who will represent his country in the World Baseball Classic next month, is a big reason the Rockies' lineup provides hope. Manager Walt Weiss admitted that CarGo reminds him of former teammate Larry Walker.

"The sky is the limit for him," Weiss said. "He's the guy that can hit the ball further and throw it harder than anyone else."

Gonzalez's challenge is broader: Can he help change the direction of a franchise that has been losing with regularity, leading to zero expectations outside of the clubhouse walls.

"We are better (when that happens)," Gonzalez said. "When players have their jobs secure, everybody feels comfortable. We probably didn't work as hard as we should have. When you are fighting for jobs, that's when you put out 100 percent on the field and you become a good team."

Gonzalez echoed a camp theme, that the Rockies' season "is all about the pitchers." But in a reflection of his maturity, of his rewarding winter, he pointed the finger in the mirror.

"And of course we have to do better offensively on the road. I didn't put up very good numbers," Gonzalez said. "I have to improve and keep working hard to get better."

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